Overshoe or galosh



Feb. 15, 1938.

J. DE NORONHA OVERSHOE OR GALOSH Filed Oct. 2, 1935 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT: OFFICE Application October 2, 1935, Serial No. 43,166 In Brazil November 1,1934

Claims.

The present invention refers to improvements in rubber overshoes with the aim to avoid inconveniences existing in ordinary galoshes and at the same time to offer advantages of para- 5 mount importance, such as an automatic airing system.

It is a well known fact that when buying galoshes, one should not choose a loose-fitting pair because. after a short time of wear they already begin to widen and easily slip off in walking. It is therefore necessary always to buy rather tight-fitting ones. The effects resulting from such a tight fit on the toes and joints especially are only too well known; besides burning, fatigue and perspiration of the feet, a general bodily indisposition is experienced owing to the fact that at every step the pressure on the joints causes friction which becomes more and more annoying the longer one walks. To all this, there must still be added the complete exclusion of air from the shoe upper and the excessive weight of the overshoes. As regards the outward appearance of these overshoes, it is customary to finish them on with a coating of varnish so as to make them appear uniform or also cover up surface flaws; but even then, they look antiquated and are not at all in harmony with modern shapes and styles of shoes.

The idea underlying the present invention is to produce a galosh made intentionally too large for the shoe to be protected and which, despite this fact, will be accepted by the public without any reluctance.

Obviously, none of the evils mentioned above can even come into existence with such an oversized galosh, because there will always be a fair space present between its upper and that of the considerably smaller shoe in it, so that the foot is no longer subjected to that harmful presnaturally occasions. On the other hand, the

from falling oif'the shoe in walking. Many will sure which the common close-fitting overshoe even object to wearing it if its large dimensions are not sufficiently disguised so as to look normal or if its upper becomes baggy for want of supportand the shoe keeps on floating in it.

All these requirements are met by the improvements of the present invention, best applicable to an all-rubber, one-piece galosh, manufactured byxthe method, well known in the rubber industry, of pressing and vulcanizing' in closed steel moulds under high mechanical pressure.

The problem of retaining this oversized galosh in position on the shoe is resolved, according to the present invention, by moulding over the shaft a cover or web having a small aperture at the center as opening for the shoe; the resulting broad web projecting from the top of the galosh towards the middle is a fastening device as simple as it is efiicient. Further, the thin upper may 'be given sufiicient stability as well as a very modern attractive appearance by adopting a surface of polygonal cross section. And finally, ventilation of the shoe may be effected by moulding air channels on the inner face of the web so as to renew the air confined by that web in the interspace between the upper of the galosh and that of the much smaller shoe.

The basic principles of the present invention are more clearly set forth hereinafter, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the overshoe;

V Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on the line II--II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a cross section on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a side view showing the overshoe in position on a shoe.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

In the first place, the overshoe of the present invention has an entirely new shape, as will be immediately explained. Fig. 1 shows clearly the fastening device 6, the broad web between the lines a.b--cd.and e-,f-gk. Whereas, normally, the edge of the opening in the common overshoes is more or less at the line a--bcd, the ,aperture 8 of this galosh is formed by the line ef--g--k and is, therefore, approximately half as small. Relative to the total width of the 40 galosh, a reduction of half in the opening-is enormous but the efilciency of the grip of the web 6 is thereby greatly increased.

The-manner in which the device works when the galosh is in position on the ,shoe is illustrated in Fig. 4. Being forced by the much larger shoe neck to rise and press on it conically, the web tends continuously to draw the whole galosh upwards against the sole of the shoe. In this position, its large upper will remain separated from themuch smaller shoe upper'to the extent of the difference in their sizes viz. the space h. There is, therefore, no possibility of the foot being squeezed or in any way constrained by the galosh. In passing, it is 55 

